What's Important?

     Well, since I've last posted, I've moved several hundred miles away from my home (this was at the beginning of the year) to work a temporary job in my state's beautiful Capitol. I'm part of the House Floor Staff, which means that I'm a non-partisan worker who does... Just about everything and anything from setting up committee rooms with coffee, driving Representatives to the airport, to passing notes during sessions, to giving tours, to cleaning, to filling in in at a desk in a legislator's office like I am right now. I absolutely LOVE my job and am pretty disappointed that we're already halfway through the session. However, there is one thing that I'd been wishing I could do here in the Capitol that I cannot due to my non-partisan status: Influencing legislators and legislation to reflect my values. One of my favorite activities ever is campaigning and discussing issues that concern me. However, the restrictions on me are to the extent that I must consciously maintain facial expressions that do not reflect agreement or disagreement with a representative speaking during House Floor Sessions. And believe me, that can get tough. =D

     I was eating Sunday afternoon lunch with a few friends I've made, including a Senator whom I have come to deeply respect. We were discussing work, and I was asked about how I enjoyed my job and what I'd like to do in the future. I mentioned how I love my job... and how because of my non-partisanship and constant working throughout the building I can get to know people without the barrier of politics between us... but also how I wished I could be in a position where I could have more influence and make more of a difference. Legislator's staffers have more of an influence on things than you'd ever think. It sometimes seems that it's to the extent that the staff does everything except be the figurehead that shows up in the news. 
     When I said this, the Senator paused and cocked his head. After a moment, he said something in a couple brief sentences that I can't recall well enough to transcribe here, but this is a deepened version of what he told me: "You know, all them issues and bills stuff we have to deal with that goes on is kind of important. However, what's really important is people. God doesn't need bills to get His work accomplished, but He needs people to talk to and encourage people because that's what's really important. In doing that, we can draw them to Him. And you can do that better than we can since we're partisan and have politics in the way. So you can go do the important stuff." 

I love that Senator. 

~Esserita